OTR Hoops: Thanksgiving Showcase PREVIEW – November 25, 2024

LAWRENCEVILLE, Georgia, – On the Radar Hoops hosts the annual Thanksgiving Showcase on Wednesday at Central Gwinnett High School. This year will feature a few of the top teams in the Metro Atlanta area along with several other teams who are positioned to make post season runs in the state tournament. Here are the prospects to look for in this year’s event.

By: Jonathan Hemingway

7:30pm Grayson vs. Cedar Grove

The Rams are off to a 2-0 start this season. Caleb Holt and company look to keep the momentum going on Wednesday versus an up-and-coming Cedar Grove squad. The Rams starting line-up as a talented as we have seen in recent years with 5-star 2026 Holt along with Georgia commit Jacob Wilkins and recent Kennesaw State signee Amir Taylor. Read about KJ Harris and the Rams’ opening win at the OTR Tip-Off Classic here.

Cedar Grove got off on the right foot this season with a convincing win over Westside-Augusta. Class of 2026 wing Manny Green has been a popular name around these parts for several years. His versatility allows him to score inside and out while being a threat to pull-down double-digit rebounds nightly. Senior guard Keith Gillespie looks to be primed for a breakout year. He is a dynamic scorer from beyond the arc and in the lane. Gillespie is flanked by Yusef Bowyer in the backcourt who has earned a reputation as one of the top shooters in the area.

6:00pm Milton vs. Peachtree Ridge

Coach Allen Whitehart has continued the winning tradition at Milton since taking over in 2017. A state championship and five region championships headline the record book since Whitehart took the reins. The Eagles will lean upon the backcourt work of senior Josh Dixon (Milwaukee commit) and junior Nathan Earl. Both are talented and seasoned as competitors. Senior wings Jayden Cole and Daniel Ogunyemi will bring athleticism and stat filling performances nightly. And put sophomore forward Solomon Bratton on your watchlist coming into this event. The 6-foot-8 prospect brings versatility to the front line of the Eagles lineup.

The Lions from Peachtree Ridge lost a heartbreaker at the buzzer at the OTR Tip-Off Classic versus Newton. Then they lost another close one in OT to Decatur a few days later. They aim to right the ship on Wednesday. They have the talent to make a run this year with guards Malik Rideout and DJ Martin running the show. Junior Guard Jacob Pittman showed promise in their opening game as well. Derwin Hodge will produce nightly as a stretch forward. The pieces are there, and coach Jordan Griffin will fit them all together as the season progresses.

4:30pm Lambert vs. Woodward Academy

The Longhorns from Lambert have come out of the gate humming this season with three 20+ victories for a 3-0 start. Junior wing-forward Will Dopfer is the one to track for the Longhorns. He is a 6-6 prospect with athleticism and skill. Senior guard Cameron Bland is a big reason why Lambert is off to a quick start. His athleticism and leadership will be key for coach Clay Wages crew this year.

Woodward Academy is primed for another outstanding season. Coming off a Final Four appearance and 26 wins, the Eagles return production, experience and talent for coach Anthony Thomas. Senior guards Payton Waites and Zachary Foster will lead the way this year. Wing-Forward Deke Cooper is one of the better available seniors in the city in terms of athleticism and upside. And the Eagles have emerging star in sophomore Jarvis Hayes Jr. who has earned praise from scouts and onlookers each time he steps on the floor.

3:00pm Central Gwinnett vs. Chattahoochee

Coach Marcus Spivey is not wasting time this year. Wednesday will be the Black Knights eighth game of the season. After dropping two very close games to start the season, Spivey and company ran off four straight wins before losing another close game to Douglas County. In all, the Knights have lost three games by a total of nine points, which includes an OT loss to Archer. Guards Denovion Flowers, Brayden Holiday, and Phil Howard have all played key roles for the Knights so far. Wing-forward O’Davion Thompson is a junior budding with athleticism and potential.

Coach Wade Mawdesley has the Cougars off to a strong start this season with a 5-0 record. His crew has senior leadership and experience to leverage in their direction this season. Senior guard Josiah Mawdelsey runs the show in the backcourt while senior 6-8 post Kyler Fox anchors the team at the rim. Look for another senior guard, Pierce Smith, to be a scoring threat for the Cougars this season.

1:30pm Tri-Cities vs. Lee County

Tri-Cities is off to a 2-1 start this season. They ran into Grayson at the OTR TOC, which is their only loss so far. They will look to build momentum on Wednesday in their match-up with Lee County. Guard Tre Keith will be one of the top guards at the event this week. Sean Van Dorn (Georgia Southern commit) and Jalan Wingfield will look to get on track as well for the Bulldogs.

Lee County is 3-0 heading into this match-up. Coach Kirven Davis has a trio of seniors that have experience and talent. Kameron Sanders is a point guard who can light up the scoreboard. Matt Hardwick is a 6-6 forward that brings size and touch to the frontline. While Braden Moore is one of the top playmaking guards that we evaluated this spring/summer on the OTR circuit.

12:00pm Riverwood vs. Greenforest Academy  

Riverwood finished at the Class AAAAAA state champs last year. They graduated Vanderbilt signee Karis Bilal, but the Raiders do not have ‘rebuild’ in mind this year. They are off to a 3-0 start with decisive wins over North Springs, Dunwoody, and Berkmar. They will get a good test versus Greenforest on Wednesday. Stetson commit JR Leonard is ready to take the lead as a primary scorer this season. While senior post Sean Poret is more than capable of handling interior responsibilities for coach Buck Jenkins. Karis’ brother, Kaleb, is also in the mix as a back court contributor as a class of 2026 graduate.

Coach Rory Griffin notched another state championship last season, which makes it five since 2013. Add in two runners-up awards in that time frame and the Eagles are perennially one of the top programs in the city. They opened up this season with a convincing 16-point win over Langston Hughes more than two weeks ago. Wednesday’s match-up will be their second game this season. Senior forward Daniel Daramola is the player that everyone is anxious to see. He has one of the highest ceilings of any unsigned prospect in the state. Guards Kevin Harper and Dallas Stephens are poised for outstanding senior seasons as well. Bryce Irby proved his talent many times on the OTR circuit this past year. Keep Orion Taylor’s name in the back of your mind while watching this game. He could be a sleeper prospect to emerge this season.

Jonathan Hemingway has been a National Evaluator for On the Radar Hoops since 2013. He has been involved in the basketball community since 1995 as a coach, camp director and evaluator. You can reach him at JLHemingway@gmail.com and follow him on twitter @JL_Hemingway.